Will classic Porsches break records at Silverstone sale?

With Porsches smashing auction records – including a 993 GT2 recently sold for £1.65 million – all eyes are on the forthcoming Silverstone Auctions sale. Taking place at Silverstone circuit on Saturday 15 October, it includes plenty of rare, exotic and expensive Porsches, including the 964 Carrera RS above. Still, let’s forget about prices for now and just admire the cars. Here are our highlights from the Silverstone sale, presented from oldest to newest.

1959 Porsche 356B T5

This pretty 356B coupe is one of the earliest UK right-hand-drive cars, estimated at £45,000 – £55,000. It has a modest 67,651 miles on the clock, although the seller warns it has ‘sat for a number of years’. As such, ‘some recommissioning work is carried out before you take it for a blast’. We’d love to.

1968 Porsche 911T SWB

Launched in 1963, the 911 is the car that defines Porsche in the eyes of enthusiasts. The 2.0-litre 911T (Touring) was introduced in 1967, this car being a rare short-wheelbase version. Resprayed from beige to Irish Green (a period Porsche colour), it comes with its original radio, tool kit and maintenance books – plus invoices for a full restoration in 2010. Estimate is £85,000 – £100,000.

1968 Porsche 912

Another Irish Green Porsche – but looks can be deceiving: this is a 912 rather than a 911. The Cayman of its day, the 912 had a four-cylinder engine and cost around 30% less than its six-cylinder sibling. No surprise, then, that Porsche sold nearly twice as many 912s as 911s in 1966. This 1968 912 had a bare-metal restoration last year and is estimated to sell for £38,000 – £42,000.

1969 Porsche 911 Carrera RS replica

More proof that all isn’t as it seems in the world of old Porsches. This 1969 car looks like a 2.7 Carrera RS perhaps the most highly-prized 911 of all. However, it’s a replica, with a highly-modified engine from a 1973 911T and, of course, period graphics and a ducktail spoiler. You’ll pay in excess of half-a-million for a tidy 2.7 RS, which makes the £65,000 – £75,000 estimate for this car very appealing.

1971 Porsche 911S

Feeling brave? The value of classic Porsches is such that even basket cases like this 1971 911S can be worth £55,000 – £65,000. In truth, the car isn’t quite as far-gone as it looks. Its owner says the engine ‘will turn over’, and the chassis and floors ‘appear solid’. Being a matching-numbers car with a Porsche certificate of authenticity adds value, too – as does a rare 2.2-litre engine.

1973 Porsche 911E Targa

This mid-range 911E Targa is another Porsche in need of serious work. A left-hand-drive model, it was imported from Florida in 2013, along with a replacement bonnet, doors and front/rear wings. Its 2.4-litre engine comes from a 1973 911T, so obviously isn’t original. However, the car is sold without reserve – potentially making it the cheapest Porsche in the Silverstone sale.

1975 Porsche 911 Targa

The 911 Targa is firmly back in fashion (helped in no small part by the latest, retro-look 991 Targa), and prices have been rising accordingly. Only six right-hand-drive 911 2.7 Carrera Targas came to the UK, making this a very rare car indeed. We love the trad-Porsche Guards Red paint and Fuchs alloy wheels. Expect it to sell for strong money: the estimate from Silverstone Auctions is £130,000 – £160,000.

1981 Porsche 911 SC

By comparison, this 1981 911 3.0 SC looks a bargain. Sporting wider ‘Turbo’ bodywork and the iconic whale tail spoiler, it has been owned by the vendor for the past 23 years. The auction estimate is lowly £20,000 – £25,000, partly because the fitment of a new speedo some years ago means the displayed 54,492 miles is unwarranted. Still, if you’re willing to take a punt…

1981 Porsche 924

Four-cylinder Porsches are back – the latest 718 Boxster and Cayman both use four-pot engines – so perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate the humble 924? This 1981 924 is less humble than most, having covered just 10,220km since it left Stuttgart. A left-hand-drive car originally sold in Italy, it was imported to the UK in 2015. Estimate is £15,000 – £20,000.

1983 Porsche 911 Targa

Even as winter approaches, there’s something irresistibly appealing about this Summer Yellow Targa. Perhaps it’s the chequered coffee-and-cream Pasha interior? Or maybe the later 234hp 3.2-litre engine? Or simply the fact that it’s covered just 55,000 miles from new? If we had the money, we’d be bidding. Estimate is £37,000 – £43,000.

1985 Porsche 911 RSR ‘evocation’

This 911 isn’t a replica, but an ‘evocation’. Whatever that means. Either way, it’s a 1985 911 Carrera 3.2 that’s been rebodied to resemble a Carrera RSR – and it looks fantastic. Only 49 genuine RSRs were made, meaning you’ll need a lottery-win to buy one. This car, built by a Porsche engineer using parts from RS-Teknik, is expected to sell for £40,000 – £50,000.

1985 Porsche 928S

Speak to Porsche specialists and they’ll tell you the 928 is still undervalued. This futuristic, front-engined coupe was originally designed to replace the 911, but many considered it too ‘soft’ for a sports car. However, as a grand tourer, the 928 takes some beating – particularly in 310hp ‘S’ guise seen here. A one-owner car that has spent its life in sunny South Africa, it’s sold with no reserve.

1986 Porsche 930 Turbo Flachbau

Few things scream ‘1980s’ more loudly than a flatnose Porsche 911 Turbo. Especially in Essex-stiletto white. This is one of only 50 official ‘Flachbau’ Turbos, built in 1986 as part of Porsche’s ‘Sonderwunchprogramm’ (special wishes program). As well as that 935-style front end, it boasts an engine uprated to 330hp and a limited-slip diff. With just 21,000 miles, it has to be only of the finest Flachbaus still in existence. Estimate is £100,000 – £120,000.

1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S

The fastest 944 was launched in 1988 as a limited-edition, with a spec that emulated the Turbo Cup race cars. Engines were boosted to 250hp, along with larger brakes, optional adjustable Koni dampers and unique alloy wheels. This Turbo S has covered just 47,177 miles and is a Porsche Club GB concours winner. Expect to stump up £35,000 – £40,000 if you’re keen.

1989 Porsche 930 Turbo

The first 930 Turbo appeared in 1975. Fourteen years later, Stuttgart assembled this example – one of the last of the breed. Early Turbos used a four-speed gearbox, but this car has the desirable G50 five-speeder, plus factory-fitted sports seats and a sunroof. With less than 25,000 miles, Silverstone Auctions predicts a hammer-price of £135,000 – £150,000.

1990 Porsche 964 C2 cabriolet

The venerable 911 entered the modern era with the 964 of 1989. Porsche was keen to promote the new four-wheel-drive Carrera 4, but many enthusiasts prefer the – visually identical – 2WD Carrera 2 seen here. Described as being in ‘stunning condition’, this 964 C2 cabriolet has an electric roof, leather seats and plenty of Porsche service history. Estimate is £34,000 – £38,000.

1991 Porsche 964 Carrera 4

Regardless of what Porsche purists think, we like the added traction and all-weather ability of a 4WD 911. Finished in the classic combination of Guards Red with black leather, this 964 also sports 17-inch Carrera Cup alloys, air conditioning and a sunroof. At £40,000 – £45,000, it could be a sound investment.

1991 Porsche 964 Carrera RS NGT

Oh yes – now we’re talking. After driving one for the MR Retro Road Test earlier this year, the 964 Carrera RS definitely has a parking spot in our dream garage. This NGT version is as close as you’ll get to a race car for the road, with a rollcage and Nomex-covered seats. Carpets and soundproofing have been removed, too – all the better to hear that feral 256hp flat-six. Estimate is £135,000 – £155,000.

1991 Porsche 964 Turbo

More powerful than the 964 RS, and (slightly) more civilised, the Turbo blurs the boundary between sports car and supercar. It also looks fabulous in Tahoe Blue: a study in squat, purposeful aggression. This 3.3-litre Turbo has driven 65,510 miles since new and is estimated at £80,000 – £100,000. So… this or a new 991 Carrera S with a few options?

1992 Porsche 964 Carrera RS

Another 964 RS? Oh, go on then – especially as this one is painted in the RS signature colour of Rubystone Red. Because everyone loves a pink Porsche, right? The car was imported from Japan and is left-hand-drive, with 41,000km on the clock. Silverstone Auctions’ estimate is £140,000 – £160,000. Oh, and did we mention the seats are trimmed in pink, lilac and purple?

1993 Porsche 968 Club Sport

Looking for a hardcore, track-ready Porsche, but don’t have six figures to spend? Consider the 968 Club Sport, a stripped-out version of the 968 with lowered suspension and lightweight Recaro seats. A previous owner has modified this car with KW suspension, a stainless exhaust system, bigger brakes, a limited-slip diff and a 968 Turbo rear spoiler. Showing just shy of 100,000 miles, it’s expected to sell for £25,000 – £30,000.

1993 RUF 964 RCT

Feeling RUF? You might be after a ride in this modified 964 Turbo, which has been tuned to 385hp (versus 300hp in the standard car). The legendary Porsche tuner has also fitted its own brakes, suspension, exhaust and alloy wheels, along with a host of cosmetic upgrades. RUF apparently produced no more than 100 RCTs, and this is the only one with a wide Turbo body and four-wheel drive. Estimate is £120,000 – £140,000.

1995 Porsche 993 Turbo

We move on to the 993 generation, the last 911 with an air-cooled engine, and judged by many to be the greatest of all. Even today, the 4WD 993 Turbo is staggeringly fast: 62mph arrives in 3.7 seconds and top speed is 180mph. This 1995 car has been imported from Japan and has 77,000 miles on its odometer. Estimate is £90,000 – £110,000.

1996 Porsche 993 Carrera 2

Much as we love the Turbo, the simpler pleasures of a 285hp Carrera 2 are more our bag. This 1996 993 C2 manual looks just about perfect, with sports suspension, air conditioning and a grey leather interior. It isn’t cheap – estimate is £40,000 – £50,000 – but who’d bet against that value increasing in coming years?

1998 Porsche 996 Carrera 2

The step-change between 993 and 996 generations of 911 was too much for some Porsche diehards. But look past the water-cooled engine – and the gloopy ‘fried egg’ headlights – and the 996 is still a great sports car. It’s also good value, as the £16,000 – £20,000 estimate for this 1998 C2 proves. Interestingly, this is an ex-Porsche UK press car, so it spent its early life being driven by car journalists. We’re not sure that’s a good thing…

1999 996 GT3 Clubsport

Proof that the 996 hadn’t lost its edge, the GT3 used a dry-sumped, naturally-aspirated version of the Le Mans-winning GT1 racer’s flat-six, redlined at a heady 8,000rpm. The optional Clubsport pack added a rollcage, hard-shell bucket seats and a single-mass flywheel for sharper throttle response. Only 28 Clubsports came to the UK, and this Guards Red example has covered just 32,287 miles. Estimate is £55,000 – £65,000.

2001 Porsche 996 GT2

The GT2 is effectively a 911 Turbo with even more power and rear-wheel drive – a potent combination indeed. You want stats? Try 483hp, 0-62mph in 4.0 seconds and 0-100mph in 8.5 seconds. All with no traction control or electronic stability aids. Gulp. Estimate is £100,000 – £120,000.

2002 Porsche 996 Turbo X50

The 996 Turbo is another car we drove recently for our Retro Road Test. And what a machine! Easy to drive as a supermini, yet quick as a supercar, it’s one of the most underrated 911s ever. This Turbo is our perfect spec, with subtle black paint, a manual gearbox and the optional X50 pack. The latter effectively transforms the car into a Turbo S, increasing power to 450hp. Estimate is £44,000 – £49,000.

2002 Porsche Boxster S

Surprised to see a first-generation 986 Boxster in a classic Porsche auction? Well, this 2002 Boxster S has covered a mere 9,000 miles and is said to be in ‘immaculate condition’. Silverstone Auctions puts the estimate at £15,000 – £20,000: potentially less than half what you’d pay for a new 718 Boxster S. And this one has six cylinders…

2004 Porsche Carrera GT

Firmly back in the ‘exotic’ zone, this Carrera GT will almost certainly be the priciest Porsche in the auction. But hey, it’s a limited-run V10 hypercar previously owned by F1 team principal Gerard Lopez, so what do you expect? The 2004 GT has less than 20,000 miles on the clock and comes with a RUF suspension-raising system to clear speed humps. If only we had a spare £440,000 – £460,000.

2008 Porsche 997 GT2

This GT2 has been converted to RS-look, with a carbonfibre bonnet and side intakes, plus centre-lock RS alloy wheels. Inside, it has the more comfortable interior of a regular GT2 – albeit with a rollcage and harnesses. Better strap yourself in tight: the 523hp missile hits 62mph in 3.6 seconds and keeps going to 210mph… if you can find an Autobahn empty enough. Estimate is £100,000 – £120,000.

2009 Porsche 997 Carrera 4S convertible

Not everyone wants neck-snapping pace and compromised comfort, of course. For a gentler route into 911 ownership, this 997 Carrera 4S convertible looks very tempting. It comes with a PDK semi-automatic gearbox for easy urban driving and a lowly 28,856 miles on the clock. When new in 2009, the car cost its original owner £89,700. Pay around estimate of £45,500 – £47,500 and you’re effectively getting it half-price.

2010 Porsche 997 GT3 RS

We finish with something special. The 997 GT3 is a favourite with Porsche aficionados, as the final GT3 available with a manual gearbox and hydraulic power steering. Only 35 of these 196mph ultimate driving machines came to the UK, and you need to find £135,000 – £155,000 to buy one. Start saving now – and we’ll see you at the Porsche Sale.

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